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Ginger Apple Hard Cider Recipe

A flavorful and fiery ginger hard cider recipe
Prep Time15 minutes
Fermentation Time30 days
Total Time30 days
Course: Drinks
Keyword: Cascade Hops, Hard Cider
Yield: 1 Gallon

Equipment

Materials

Instructions

  • Clean and sanitize all cider making equipment before starting.
  • Peel and chop fresh ginger
  • Juice one lime
  • Add the water, ginger and lime juice to a pot and boil to make a ginger tea
  • Pour the pour the ginger tea into the fermenter and add apple juice into the fermenting vessel leaving room for apple juice concentrate in the following steps.
  • Take a hydrometer reading to measure the gravity and record.
  • Add apple juice concentrate to raise the original gravity to the desired level. Top up the fermenter with apple juice as needed.
  • Take a hydrometer reading to measure the gravity and record.
  • Add yeast nutrient if desired.
  • Pour the yeast into the fermenter.
  • Close the fermenter and install an airlock filled with sanitizer.
  • Allow the cider to ferment in a cool and dark place for about two weeks or until fermentation has ended.
  • Cold crash, rack and bottle.

Notes

Start by making a lemon ginger tea with the fresh ginger, lime and water. The 'tea' will have near zero sugar so when it is added to the fermenter so some apple concentrate will be needed to bring the original gravity back to normal levels. Also, this will add extra apple flavor. The amount added will depend on your desired ABV. 
The ginger root can be added to the fermenter if desired. I find that it will increase the 'fire' flavor of the ginger which I really enjoy. 
Once the fermenter is full and the yeast is pitched, place the cider in a cool and dark area to ferment for about two weeks or until fermentation is complete. 
When fermentation has finished, cold crash the batch and then rack the finished cider into a clean and sanitized fermenter or bottling bucket. 
At this time you can make your final adjustments such as flavoring or priming sugar.  
Follow standard bottling or kegging procedures to package the cider.